Theater De Storm in Winterswijk, the Netherlands, has upgraded its lighting system with the support of Frontline Audio & Vision, which supplied the venue with 124 Robe luminaires: 12 ESPRITE fixtures with the HCF (High Colour Fidelity) LED engine, 80 T11 Profiles, 12 TX1 PosiProfiles and 20 T15 Fresnels.
The theatre features three halls: two dedicated to theatre performances and concerts, and a third used for celebrations and events. The main hall seats 609, while the smaller venue accommodates 219 people. Hosting an average of six or seven productions each week, the venue requires fast and efficient turnaround times.
The new luminaires were installed as part of a major LED upgrade following a product shootout organised by Martijn some time earlier, in which Robe was selected as the preferred brand.
"We needed to replace the old Profile, PC and Fresnel fixtures", explains Sander Wilderink, the theatre's Head Technician, who has worked at the venue for eight years alongside Jocelyn Waalderbos. Together, they oversee all technical aspects of the venue, including lighting.
One of Theater De Storm's key priorities was achieving a wide zoom range and high light output. The previous Profile fixtures offered a zoom range of 17° to 43°, while the new T11 Profiles extend that coverage to 5°-50°. The team also carefully evaluated colour temperature and colour mixing capabilities before selecting the luminaires best suited to their needs.
For concerts and musical productions in the main hall, they also required a powerful and versatile effects solution, leading them to choose the ESPRITE HCF. Initially, Sander explains, they intended to use the TX1 fixtures in the rear positions, as these can operate both as moving profile fixtures and as repositionable static profiles. However, they ultimately concluded that another type of luminaire would be a better fit for that application.
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The ESPRITE HCF fixtures also deliver excellent performance as general backlighting, regardless of the type of production on stage. Among the advantages of the new Robe lighting system is the speed with which the luminaires can be focused and programmed. In addition, the multi-spectral LED light source enhances the versatility of the fixtures and produces colours that, according to Sander, "are intuitive to adjust and programme".
The Head Technician adds that they were also looking for luminaires using the European-style focusing system, with the two plano-convex lenses mounted facing each other at one end of the fixture.
Most productions arriving at the theatre bring their own stage lighting equipment while making use of the venue's bridges, towers and side lighting positions. They can connect their lighting consoles via DMX or sACN.
The response has been fantastic from every company that has come to work with the new lighting system, including freelance technicians, says Sander.
This is one of the largest Robe installations completed to date by Frontline. The company delivers lighting, video and audio projects while also operating a rental division whose inventory includes Robe LEDBeam 350 luminaires, among other equipment.
Regarding theatre installations, Martijn describes Robe as "a top-tier brand with a comprehensive range that is easy to control". He also highlights the excellent relationship Frontline enjoys with Controllux, Robe's Benelux distributor, which he considers essential for any supplier.
As part of the project, Martijn also designed and installed a completely new power and data infrastructure for the theatre after consulting with the technical team about their specific requirements. Now, every position where a luminaire may be installed has both power and a DMX connection, as part of a master plan that also included the installation of the LSC APS (Advanced Power System) power distribution system.
The installation was completed in just four weeks, during which Theater De Storm continued operating with a temporary setup, ensuring a seamless transition to the new lighting system.
